Power conversion systems convert electrical power from one form to another and may be employed in a variety of applications such as motor drives for powering an electric motor using power from an input source. Typically, the power converter is constructed using electrical switches actuated in a controlled fashion to selectively convert input power to output power of a desired form such as single or multi-phase AC of a controlled amplitude, frequency and phase to drive an AC motor according to a desired speed profile and varying load conditions. Many such power converters receive input AC power from a single or multi-phase source and perform input switching to create an intermediate DC bus voltage. Output switches are then employed to create the desired AC output for driving a single or multi-phase AC electric motor or other AC load using power from the intermediate DC bus. In the initial AC-to-DC conversion, common-mode voltages are produced, which if unaddressed, may damage the motor windings. To address this problem, many motor drive converters include a DC link choke or inductor is provided with windings connected in the intermediate positive and negative DC current paths between the input and output switches to smooth the DC bus used to create the output voltages and currents and to mitigate common mode voltages at the converter output. However, certain operational conditions can lead to thermal stresses on the coil windings of the DC link inductor, whereby designers often need to oversize the inductor to ensure against premature failure of the inductor component of the motor drive. Although this approach provides suitable operation for the expected operating points over the designed motor drive product life cycle, the oversized inductor is costly in terms of size, weight, and expense. Thus, there is a need for improved power converter inductors that will withstand worst-case operating conditions without thermal failure without adding excessive size or weight to a motor drive or other host power conversion system.